Rumple's Dreams
by Kristen3
Summary: Rumpelstiltskin has a dream in which he relives the moments which led to him ultimately losing Bae. Can Belle help him see his mistake from another perspective? Set after the S3 finale. Rating is just to be safe. One-shot.


**Author's Note: **This bit of fluff occurred to me after watching "Desperate Souls" recently. It was my first time watching it in light of everything that happened with Zelena. Being the Rumbelle shipper that I am, I couldn't resist this idea. I included some hints of Swanfire just because I really, really wanted them to have their happy ending, hehe. Please do R&R! :)

So far, the benefits of finally being married were definitely coming true. Rumpelstiltskin loved waking up beside Belle each morning. And the other benefits...well, marriage didn't skimp on that, either. Sometimes, Rumpelstiltskin thought about the dagger, and how he should have told Belle the truth about tricking her. But he pushed such thoughts aside. What was done was done, and there was no point to bringing up the past.

But in Rumple's dreams, the past was very much alive. And being over three hundred years old, he had quite a few memories to choose from. He often remembered some of his less proud moments, when he'd given in to his darker side, killing innocent people back in the Enchanted Forest. But tonight, his mind went even farther back. He relived the days when the army first came looking for Bae. Rumpelstiltskin had been reluctant to give up his only son. After an attempt to run away failed, Rumple came across an old beggar who offered a solution. He had to steal the Dark One's dagger. But, like so many of the people Rumpelstiltskin did business with, he made a deal he didn't fully understand. For, in taking the dagger, he'd been forced to kill its former owner and then take his power. The dagger now bore his name on it, indicating he would forever be a slave to it. Rumpelstiltskin knew all too well that that one moment had led him down the path which ultimately caused him to become the most feared man in the Enchanted Forest, and cost him the son he'd once fought so hard to protect. In despair, Rumpelstiltskin cried out his son's name. "Bae!"

Belle woke immediately, hearing her husband talking in his sleep. "Rumple, wake up. It was just a bad dream," she said, shaking him slightly.

Rumpelstiltskin realized quickly that he was safe, in his bed above the pawnshop, not in the Enchanted Forest. There beside him was his beloved Belle. "Oh, Belle."

"What was it?" Belle asked. Under the covers, she reached for his hand. While he was under the Wicked Witch's control, Rumpelstiltskin hadn't had time to really grieve Bae's death. Belle was more than willing to help him deal with all of the emotions that came along with dealing with a thing like that. After all, wasn't that what marriage was about?

"I lost Bae. I wanted to protect him, to keep him from leaving me to go into the army. But I became the Dark One instead. And Bae left me anyway." He hung his head, forever ashamed of the way he'd abandoned his son the same way his own father had rejected him.

"Yes, you let Bae go through the portal," Belle said matter-of-factly. "It was a terrible thing to do. But Bae had a good life after that. He even fell in love."

Rumpelstiltskin knew she was referring to Emma. He still sometimes couldn't wrap his mind around the fact that the boy for whom he'd created the curse wound up falling for the girl who was destined to break it. Not able to speak, Rumpelstiltskin merely nodded.

"If you hadn't let him go then, he wouldn't have come to this world and met Emma," Belle continued. "Baelfire wouldn't want you to beat yourself up over this." She thought of the year she'd recently spent in the Enchanted Forest. It was the only chance she ever had to truly get to know Rumpelstiltskin's son. They could've been a real family, if only...

Once again, Rumpelstiltskin nodded. He knew she was right. Baelfire's final words to his father had made it clear that he'd finally forgiven him.

Belle brushed a tear from Rumpelstiltskin's cheek. She could tell he wasn't even aware he was crying. "If Bae hadn't met Emma all those years ago, Henry wouldn't be here."

It was true. The evidence that love had existed between his son and Emma was perfectly clear. Together, they'd created a child. Rumpelstiltskin knew he wasn't the greatest grandfather. In fact, he'd once wanted to literally kill the boy, all because of a prophecy. But all of that was in the past. Henry was a true hero. He'd been instrumental in breaking not one, but two curses.

"You're right," Rumpelstiltskin finally said. "But I can't help thinking that if I'd known you back when Bae was a boy, I might have made some better choices. Bae might at least still be alive."

Belle kissed his cheek. She would have liked that, meeting Rumpelstiltskin under different circumstances, rather than being his prisoner before falling in love with him. But the paths they'd both been on, difficult as they might have been, had led to a happy ending. Here they were, married. "I wish I'd known you sooner, too. But fate had a different plan for us."

"Oh, Belle, how is it you can see past my greatest mistakes, and still say that there is still something good in me?"

"Because I know there is. I've always seen it. Maybe not with my eyes, but with my heart." Belle smiled at him. "Remember what I said at our wedding? Sometimes the best teacup is chipped. All you have to do is look beyond the flaws, and you'll find something beautiful."

Rumpelstiltskin leaned forward and kissed her. Without a doubt, he knew that Belle lived up to her name, because she'd just proven it for the thousandth time.

**The End**


End file.
